Cassy pov

“Good gracious!” I exclaimed.

“What the……” Elliot trailed off as he frantically looked around the blocked room.

I also looked around. Nothing seemed to be misplaced. Even the window was closed shut and locked.

“It doesn’t look like an intruder had broken in,” I murmured.

“What happened?” Our parents followed us in. Gasps were heard when they saw what lay in front of them. The guard’s face was now as white as a sheet while the crimson liquid trickled down from the side of his mouth and dripped onto the white sheet on the bed.

“Look!” Elliot gasped and I rushed to his side. He was pointing at a little white bottle which the guard was clutching onto. It was sealed so that its contents wouldn’t spill.

“What is that?” I asked, curious to know what it was, however, too scared to touch it. Our parents were now beside us.

“Looks like a bottle of tablets.” Sir Harold stated.

“Tablets?” I asked, frowning.

Sighing, Sir Harold nodded. “Call the forensics team. This looks like a case of murder by poisoning. And after judging from the surroundings, I don’t think the place has been broken into. Perhaps a case of suicide?” He guessed.

I gulped.

“Wow. Was he so bent on not helping us that he chose to kill himself instead?” Izzy muttered.

“I don’t know Izzy. It looks like that.” I replied. “But we won’t conclude it like that. We will rely on the investigation.” I added, quickly.

“Looks like someone has learnt well from her mistakes.” Izzy teased me.

Rolling my eyes I scoffed internally. “Shut up Izzy,” I grumbled.

She chuckled before retreating to the back of my mind. By this time, the forensic team had come and started to look for clues and any kind of a hint that would lead us to what had happened. B***d samples were taken and the tablets in the white bottle were taken to be tested. The whole room was searched high and low for fingerprints before the lifeless body of the dead guard was taken away to be cremated.

We went back to the palace and once again it was time for us to discuss.

“I think we need to gather all the employees, the guards, kitchen staff, everyone as soon as we can! We must check who is bugged, one by one. We must do it as soon as possible. The matter is getting worse. I don’t want to lose control over this.” I spoke with seriousness.

“I am on it,” Elliot responded at once. “We should start this instance.” He added.

“I’ll also be there. Harold, come, let’s clean the mess up.” My father replied, gesturing to Elliot’s father, who nodded in response.

“I’ll make something to eat today. It has been a while since I’ve cooked. We can tell them we were giving them a day off. I think we shouldn’t let any of our staff know that we are going to check them for bugs. It is best to gather them, allow a group of five to enter. Whoever is bugged should be arrested for questioning. I think those who aren’t bugged can be trusted.” My mom said and pursed her lips.

“I just hope not many of them are traitors.” She added silently.

“It is going to be okay mom. And that is a great idea. It is best if we take them by surprise.” I agreed.

“Yes. Let’s do this then.” Sir Harold uttered, standing up from his seat. “I believe the results of the tests should come by tonight. So that gives us about roughly five hours to check all the palace staff.” He analysed.

I nodded and stood up to follow my mother out of the office.

“Elliot can do the needful, right? I think I should help mom in the kitchen.” I suggested.

“Sure.” He nodded.

We gave all our staff a day off and asked them to gather in the hall for an important meeting. From there, it would be easy to take them in groups of five into the next room and check them for bugs. I went to the kitchen with mom right after the announcement was made.

While we were busy preparing food, Ava called my phone. I picked it up while I stirred the pot of soup.

“Hey, girl.” I greeted her.

“Hey. It has been a long time.” She said, “Is everything fine over there?” She asked.

“Yeah…..well sort of.” I sighed.

“Don’t lie to me, woman. I have the power to foresee, don’t you remember?” She muttered.

Right.

“Uh…yeah. A lot is happening. You know about the poisoned wine, right?”

“Yeah.”

“After that, someone planted a bomb in the throne room where we narrowly escaped the blast. And we found out some of our palace staff are actually stabbing us on our backs, and now we are checking for bugs implanted in them. We have found one in our driver and one guard most probably have committed suicide because he doesn’t want to help us….……” I heaved a huge breath. “A lot is going on Ava. A lot. The whole palace needs to be cleaned up.” I told her.

There was a little pause. I gulped. My life was in danger, and so were the lives of those I care about.Material © .

“Wow.” She whispered and then remained silent for some time.

“What did you see?” I asked, breaking the silence. I heard a deep sigh.

“A huge war is on its way honey. You better prepare your army for that.” She told me in a soft voice.

I felt a shiver run down my spine. War?

“You’ve got this babe. I’m with you.” She whispered and I took in a huge breath, hoping that it would call my hysterical heart down.

“War? Did you see a lot of bloodsheds?” I asked. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.

“I just had a short vision. I cannot say for sure. I just wanted to warn you so that you could have a heads-up.” She replied.

“Okay….” I gulped. “Ava….I need your help. You’re the best female warrior I’ve seen. I need your support, Ava.” I said, wishing that she was here.

“I’ll speak with Nolan. I think he also would want to help.” She replied. “I’ll call you later. I need to go right now.” She said, and I replied a meek yes before hanging up.

I kept inhaling and exhaling as carefully as I could. I’ve got this. I told myself.

“We got this babe.” Izzy prepped in my mind.

“Yeah….we can win this. I just hope not a lot of our staff are traitors.” I replied.

Time passed. We cooked and cleaned to keep ourselves busy. However, I couldn’t take my mind off what Ava had told me. A huge war was what I should be expecting. Perhaps I should inform the dukes of all the provinces so that they too would be on standby. We couldn’t take any risks.

Hours passed by, and finally, the three men came back. We sat beside the dining table to fill our growling tummies since all of us were famished.

“So how did it go?” Mom asked eagerly, as soon as we settled on our seats.

“We found four guards who were bugged. The rest were good.” Sir Harold replied. “Now we have unbugged them all and are being sent to the dungeon to be locked up until you decide their fate. Oh, and by the way, all of them were carrying little white bottles exactly like the one we found in the dead one’s hands, containing similar tablets. None of them wanted to tell us why.” He further explained.

“Maybe the driver would tell us?” I suggested, thinking that he really might help. After all, he was the only one who had cooperated with us during the interrogation.

“Yeah. Maybe. We will ask him.” Elliot murmured.

“And Ava called and warned me about a huge battle. She had seen a vision of a great war. I think it is best to warn all the districts and tell them to be prepared for the battle.” I told them.

“War?” Dad asked as he munched on the food we’ve prepared. “I’ve seen bad days in the Kingdom, but this certainly is the worst so far.” He added, shaking his head.

“We can do this,” I whispered in response.

“We will win.” Mom nodded.

“We better finish the sentencing of the four traitors. I think we should get rid of them as soon as possible.” Sir Harold stated.

“Let’s do it now. I already know where I want them.” I replied through my gritted teeth.

“Where?” Elliot asked.

“In hell.” I hissed, as I clenched my fists.

Just as planned, we went to the throne room and the four traitors were brought in front of me.

“Do you have anything to say?” I asked, glaring at them with utter fury. I was seething in anger and Izzy was itching to break free and rip their limbs apart. However, I remained poised, like the Queen I was taught to be.

I wanted to give them one last chance to explain themselves. Perhaps they too were tricked and forced into submission. However, these traitors glared at me with immense rage.

“Nope.” One of them said.

“No, actually we do. You and your family are selfish! You have snatched something which is not yours. Your promises are not fulfilled. You and your parents are filled with greed!” Another one shouted out angrily and the others yelled out their affirmations.

Gritting my teeth, inhaled.

“Silence!” I ordered. This was the first time I had raised my voice over anyone except Miles and it made these traitors cower. Their shouts died down as they started trembling in fear.

“Stupid fools trying to disregard their Queen!” Izzy growled.

“Enough!” I boomed and my voice echoed in the room. “I order all of them to be beheaded in this instance! I don’t want even a moment of delay!” I growled.

“What!”

“We resist!”

“We want a fair trial!”

“Silence!” I bellowed once again, and this time, my voice was partially animalistic. Izzy was on the verge of overtaking my body,

“You have been given your chance to speak. And obviously, you all have been treacherous.” I bared my teeth at them. “Guards! Tie them all up and prepare them to be beheaded!” I ordered and my loyal guards obliged at once. Their pathetic cries for help fell on deaf ears as they were dragged out of the dungeon. I walked out of the throne room with Elliot and our parents to witness the beheading that would happen in the open ground behind the palace.

I felt no remorse when their faces were covered, nor when they were forced to bend down. I didn’t feel even the slightest bit of sympathy when the executioner raised his sharpened sword over his head and cut their heads with a single blow.

“Good job,” Izzy whispered as we watched the scarlet colour of their b***d paint the surroundings. I took in a shaky breath as the heat of my rage cooled down. Good job indeed.